A nurse is caring for a client who has liver cirrhosis with ascites, bleeding esophageal varices, and portal hypertension. The nurse recognizes which of the following laboratory findings as indicating the client's gastrointestinal (GI) tract is digesting and absorbing blood?
Decreased bilirubin
Decreased chloride
Elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
Elevated HbA1c
The Correct Answer is C
Rationale:
A. Decreased bilirubin is unrelated to digestion of blood in the GI tract.
B. Chloride levels do not indicate blood digestion.
C. When a client with esophageal varices bleeds into the GI tract, the digestion and absorption of blood proteins lead to increased nitrogen load, reflected as elevated BUN.
D. HbA1c reflects long-term blood glucose control, not acute digestion of blood.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Rationale:
A. Lansoprazole is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) that works best when given before meals, ideally 30–60 minutes prior to the first meal of the day, to maximize inhibition of gastric acid secretion.
B. Taking lansoprazole at night does not optimize its effect because acid production is highest in the morning.
C. Administering with food reduces absorption and efficacy of the medication.
D. PPIs should be taken before the meal, not after, to ensure maximum acid suppression.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Rationale:
A. Hepatotoxic medications can cause toxic or drug-induced liver injury, but they are not the primary cause of biliary cirrhosis.
B. Excessive alcohol consumption is a major cause of alcoholic cirrhosis, not biliary cirrhosis.
C. Obstruction of the bile duct—whether from gallstones, strictures, or autoimmune disorders—leads to cholestasis. Over time, the retained bile damages liver cells, causing inflammation, fibrosis, and ultimately biliary cirrhosis.
D. Hepatitis C primarily causes viral hepatitis-related cirrhosis, not biliary cirrhosis.
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